There are always two sides to a battle, the winning side or the losing side. We'd all rather be on the winning side of the battle lines. Drag racing is a battle between two opposing forces, where only one person can be crowned the winner. Dana Westover developed a well-calculated battle plan to ensure he'd always be the one to come out on top when racing.
Knowing he didn't want to be a loser in life, Dana first selected a high-powered platform for his racer. After careful research, Dana chose a 1995 Supra twin-turbo. It tipped the scales at more than 3,800 pounds, but Dana knew the 2JZ-GTE powerplant was more than capable of propelling the tank down the quarter mile in record time.
Having witnessed 2JZ engines produce four-digit horsepower figures, Dana knew the powerplant that lay underneath his Supra twin turbo was easily capable of the task at hand. Stock-block Supras can generate up to an astounding 900 hp at the wheels, but he wanted some added peace of mind, so the engine was lifted for a complete buildup.
Dana started with the bottom end, utilizing stronger forged internals to withstand the rigors of heavy boosting. A reliable and strong bottom end is vital to a high-output engine, so Dana relied on only the best components for his Toyota. The cylinder head optimizes airflow with a set of high-lift bumpsticks from JUN Racing and adjustable cam gears from HKS. Dana also elected to massage the cylinder head ports to aid in his quest for more horsepower.
Producing enough airflow for 1,000 hp requires a serious hairdryer. The 2JZ engine utilizes a 74mm turbocharger mounted on a long-runner, stainless-steel manifold. Connected to the compressor outlet is a complete Virtual Works intercooler system optimizing charge air temperature through a massive GReddy three-row, front-mount intercooler. From the intercooler, aluminum I/C piping carries the pressurized charge air and force-feeds it into a 90mm Accufab throttle body.
Once past the throttle plate, charge air is directed to the six cylinders through a custom Virtual Works intake manifold, where high-octane juice is injected into the intake ports via 1000cc squirters. Aeromotive and XRP hardware ensures the 2JZ engine thirst is constantly quenched with race liquid at all times. An AEM EMS system guarantees the Toyota powerplant is operating at peak performance. The AEM EMS allows Dana to modify fuel and ignition maps for maximum output.
The entire powerplant combination was good enough to produce 851 hp on the Silver State Dynojet chassis dyno at the 2003 Supras Invade Las Vegas event. That number is comparable to 1,000 hp at the flywheel.
Transferring all that power to the ground is no easy task. The factory six-speed was taken out and a Turbo 400 automatic transmission was swapped. The four-speed slushbox was extensively reworked to handle the megatorque generated by the 2JZ. Dana doesn't have to worry about mis-shifts at the dragstrip; when the light turns green, he slams the loud pedal, collects his 9-second timeslip and drives home. What more can you ask for?
Keeping things safe down the quarter mile at nearly 150 mph is a custom-fabricated NHRA-legal full roll cage, which Mike Dunn helped install. Optimizing weight by using chrome-moly instead of mild steel, Mike carefully reworked the chrome-moly tubes by strategically bending them to fit within the Supra cabin. He also swapped out the factory seat belts in favor of a Simpson Racing five-point race harness system. Sparco Torino sport seats also keep him in place.
Dana successfully implemented all his plans, resulting in a victorious 9-second daily driver. Dana's battle plans for the Supra include breaking into the 8-second barrier yet still being able to pick up his dinner at the local drive-thru. However you look at it, this Supra can really fly!